SPAIN
It was supposed to be a great El Clasico. Barcelona were up three points on Spanish rivals Real Madrid. The game was in Madrid. Messi was coming back from injury. But instead of a great game, Barcelona humiliated Real Madrid in their own house; with Messi on the bench. Both Luka Modrić and Ivan Rakitić got the start for their respective clubs but it wasn’t much of a match. Real Madrid never got it going, looked poor defensively and had little for Modrić to do. Meanwhile, Rakitić danced around the midfield but Suarez, Neymar and Iniesta had the Barcelona attack on lockdown. With the match 3-0 in Barca’s favor in the 56th minute, Rakitić was subbed off for Lionel Messi, who finally returned after a 6-week layoff due to injury. Modrić played the full 90 minutes while Mateo Kovačić remained on the bench for Real. It was reported that Rakitić and Modrić had a small incident when the two met in a slide tackle. No injuries or bad blood reported.
El Clasico Highlights
Alen Halilović played the full 90 minutes in Sporting Gijon’s 3-0 home loss to Levante on Sunday. Halilović has lost some magic in the past few weeks and has not found the back of the net. He picked up a 2nd half yellow card vs. Levante. Duje Čop was not part of the Malaga squad in their 2-0 loss to Espanyol Saturday.
ENGLAND
Dejan Lovren and Liverpool got a huge win Saturday, defeating former Premier League leaders Manchester City 4-1 on the road. A Mangala own goal in the 8th minute opened the flood gates for Liverpool as they would take a 3-1 lead into halftime. Lovren held his own in the back with Sergio Aguero the lone scorer for City. Loren played the full 90 minutes a win which pulls Liverpool six points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.
Leicester City is on fire. And they’re doing it without the help of Andrej Kramarić. Jamie Vardy has scored in 10 straight Premier League games Leicester are now top of the table. Kramarić hasn’t played a game in over a month for Leicester.
Italy
PHOTO: Juventus
Juventus moved up to sixth on the Serie A table following a 1-0 win over AC Milan on Saturday night. Former Dinamo Zagreb striker, Mario Mandžukić, started and played the full 90 minutes for Juventus in the win. It was another insufficient performance for him. Mario struggled to be involved and to make the right movements. Tries to dictate vertical passes when he should instead move deep to support ball circulation. Mario eventually ends up being left out of the ball flow. As a result he gets one only chance during injury time which he sends above the top bar.
Gazzetta dello sport had mixed reviews for the Croatian number one striker:
“What’s the use of a big center forward if you never assist him? That’s where excuses end and responsibilities begin for him though. Teammates hardly ever look for him, but he also does almost nothing to make himself available.” Graded: 5,5.
Corriere dello Sport rates him a 5 and worst man of the match. After the match Allegri said:
“He is a very generous player. His work makes his partners playing better. He is working hard and subesequently is loosing lucidity in the box. I am sure that when he gets back on top form he will be scoring more goals.”
The manager is blatantly trying to protect the player but Juve fans are becoming more skeptical day after day. Unless Mario starts scoring on a regular basis he will be inevitably the 3rd choice up front soon, behind Dybala and Morata. He should awake before January.
Inter Milan remained atop the Serie A table following a 4-0 win over Frosinone on Sunday. Former Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Marcelo Brozović came off the bench in the 88th minute of play and scored his first goal of the season less than four minutes later in injury time. Former Hajduk Split prospect Ivan Perišić was surprisingly left out from the starting 11. Ivan came off the bench in the 86th minute of play and didn’t have anything to show for on the stat sheet.
Marcelo Brozović goal
Photo: ilnapolista.it
Sassuolo clawed back to erase a second half deficit in the 93rd minute only to give up a 95th minute goal to Genoa to fall in defeat. Šime Vrsaljko started and went the distance for Sassuolo at right back. It was a dificult match for him as he was assigned to mark Diego Perotti. Luckily for him the Argentinian star decides to react on Berardi provocation and picked up an early red card. Vrsaljko put on a solid defensive performance. Almost scores with a header during injury time.
Photo: EFE
Fiorentina’s three match win streak came to an end after coming from behind to draw Empoli 2-2. Nikola Kalinić started from the bench but came on at half time with his team down two goals. Eleven minutes later the score is 2-2 thanks to his brace in 6 minutes, making it a total tally of 9 goals in Serie A. Nikola would hit the top bar a few minutes later. A true hurricane.
Kalinić is third according to the Gazzetta average seasonal ratings, only Higuain and Borja Valero having done better. He’s also recently been included in the list of the top 10 surprises of the majors european leagues by Mundo Deportivo (Halilović was named too).
It’s too early in the season to come to a conclusion, however no one could deny that Kalinić is the second best forward Fiorentina has had after Luca Toni in the post Batisuta era.
Kalinić first goal
Kalinić second goal
Photo: EFE
Ante Rebić started and played 46 minutes in the draw. The Croatian international started well with a good cross, but he rest of his performance was a disaster. His commitment is not to be questioned as he runs a lot indeed, but his decision making and dribbling skills were horrible. Each time the ball comes to him, Fiorentina’s chances vanish. Comes off at half time with his team down two goals and was undoubtedly the worst player of the match. Milan Badelj looked on from the bench in the loss.
FRANCE
Mario Pasalic scored his 3rd goal in 5 matches against Nantes on Saturday, as Monaco finished on top 1-0. Pasalic headed home a cross in the 43rd minute, and also created two chances in the match with some solid passing. Danijel Subasic was in net, and made two fairly simple saves. Monaco have moved into a tie for 5th in Ligue 1, only two points out of second place.
Pass: 0:50, Goal: 1:20, Save: 3:00
RUSSIA
Vedran Corluka was back for Lokomotiv Moscow as they fell at home 2-0 in very disappointing fashion to last place Anzhi. Loko drops to third in the Russian Premier League with the loss, behind surprises FC Rostov.
UKRAINE
Darijo Srna played the full match and Eduardo was a second half sub as Shakhtar picked up an easy 4-0 won over Volyn on Saturday. Srna picked up assists on Shakhtar’s first and third goals, both from crosses into the area. Domagoj Vida was not in the squad for Dynamo Kyiv in their 3-0 win over Olimpik Donetsk, which keeps them tied with Shakhtar at the top of the league.
Assists: 0:40, 1:55
GREECE
The clash between Greece’s top two teams Panathinaikos and Olympiakos was postponed due to fan troubles. The match will be played at a later date, possibly behind closed doors.
Germany
Photo: EPA
Hamburger SV pulled off the Bundesliga upset of the week after stunning Borussia Dortmund 3-1 on Friday night in Hamburg. German born, Croatian international, Ivo Iličević , started and went the distance for Hamburg in the win. Ivo played well on the left wing and played a part on the first Hamburg goal as he was brought down in the box in the 19th minute of play. Ivica Olić once again looked on from the bench in the win. The 36-year-old striker will most likely continue his career in the MLS next season.
Next Matches:
Tuesday, 11/24
Roma at Barcelona(Champions League), Dinamo Zagreb at Arsenal(Champions League), Dynamo Kyiv at Porto(Champions League),
Wednesday, 11/25
Real Madrid at Shakhtar Donetsk(Champions League), Manchester City at Juventus(Champions League),
Thursday, 11/26
Sporting CP at Lokomotiv Moskva(Europa League), Fiorentina at Basel(Europa League), Anderlecht at Monaco(Europa League), Bordeaux at Liverpool(Europa League),
Saturday, 11/28
Manchester United at Leicester City, Hamburger SV at Werder Bremen, Real Sociedad at Barcelona, Sporting Gijón at Celta de Vigo, Panathinaikos at Iraklis,
Sunday, 11/29
Swansea City at Liverpool, Monaco at Olympique Marseille, Udinese at Chievo, Juventus at Palermo, Real Madrid at Eibar, Shakhtar Donetsk at Hoverla, Chornomorets at Dynamo Kyiv
Monday, 11/30
Fiorentina at Sassuolo, Internazionale at Napoli, Lokomotiv Moskva at Dinamo Moskva
~Ante Kvartuč and Denis Svirčić reporting from sunny Southern California, Zach Gilfix reporting from Minneapolis, MN and Salvatore Cagnazzi reporting from Italy
Modric created a few chances too.
Real squandered them.
Teams like Real should have a high conversion rate.
The game would have been different with an early Real goal.
His defense was very weak. One bad game. Nothing more.
ESPN FC was getting on Modric for his atrocious defense
Livaja sounds like cunt-Kyrgios then
both frosted hair look at me wankers who are spoilt brats in real life who cant take any responsibility for anything
Check out that pic of Kalinic – he’s doing another flykick ! i guess that’s his trademark move – what a champ ! 🙂
Look at Me Livaja could score 20 goals per season and he wouldn’t help the national team. Has a terrible attitude and past examples can be pointed to.
There was a Marko Livaja siting. Any young talent that starts getting better is great for the NT. Look at Kalinic.
that ZKS lifestyle is just no way to live…
What negative shit??????
Trust me, I haven’t been deprived of anything. I’ve worked vey hard. This site is a place for us to comment – good or bad. Nothing more, nothing else.
@Ziva….If anything, its you that should be called ,”Look at me Ziva” with all your negative and stupid comments. All your posts scream “look at me” more than any tattoo or jersey with a name on it that anybody wears. And you are very good at it, because you constantly get idiots like me to respond to your bullshit. So before you go off giving people nicknames and bashing them any way you can, ask yourself this, was it my parents that failed me??? Za dom spremni lifestyle??? Try more like “Za Kurac” lifestyle that you advocate. Im sorry for ranting. Im not trying to be a dick, youre probably a decent person in real life, thats just been deprived in many areas, but your gig is getting old. Theres enough negative shit in this world.
@nk susak……wrong, Look at Me Livaja doesn’t live the “za dom……spremni” lifestyle that so many of us live and advocate for, such as myself. He has always been a selfish dude who will blame everyone but himself when things go wrong. That is not ZDS quality.
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2015/11/18/barcelona-reportedly-willing-to-sell-alen-halilovic-should-west/
it looks like it might become quite tough for mandzukic to keep his spot atop of the pecking order of croatian strikers
based on friendly vs russia, looks like there is a good chance of a 4-4-2 formation with both mandzo and kalinic up top
then again, i assume mamic is prob looking to sell pjaca, so pjaca might have to maintain one of those forward spots
based on halilovics play, i think there is a strong argument for him to take the forward spots that has been played by pjaca/olic etc if that formation sticks
Anyone know a good place to get a Kosovo soccer jersey asap? or even a Kosovo soccer t-shirt? or even an “Arkan sucks your dads greasy hairy balls” t-shirt.
@Mr Black.. I hear ya. The only problem with that is Livaja lives a true za dom spremni lifestyle and doesnt shit on anything that is or has to do with our beloved Hrvatska. Much more respect for a guy like that, even if hes tatted from head to toe. Kalinic still on fire with a double off the bench. June cant come fast enough for him. Just hope he stays healthy.
NK Susak,
I think Ziva is Marko Livaja. He only says bad things about Livaja so we wouldn’t find out true identity.
And Ziva’s favorite player of all time, Marko Livaja just scored a hell of a goal (that was offside by the way). Does he wear his Livaja jersey to church today? Or perhaps head to a tattoo shop to get some ink.
Maybe they think of Kovacic as Modric’s replacement?
Modric is playing out of position, but he looked terrible. Misplaced several passes and responsible for second goal. Also didn’t track back for the third goal. Still not sure why Madrid doesn’t invest in a defensive midfielder. That makes the Kovacic signing even more bizarre.
Benzema and Bale were anonymous as well. Credit to Barcelona, they looked flawless.
I agree with the Benitez is a blockhead comment.
@ Čekić
Po pizda.
Kroos is ordinary .
Modric is a genius.
Benitez is a block head.
Modric is wasted when you play him so deep.
Also James, Bale, Benzema AND Ronaldo looked worse than ORDINARY.
But then again let’s sell our own people out.
Modric ordinary?
I have read it all on this site.
The dark side clouds everything …
Also Isco should be starting for this pathetic Real Madrid team. I don’t see Modric being at Real Madrid next year, he’s a good ordinary player but Real need someone better than that little idiot. The problem with Real is they believe they’re Barcelona’s equal, if they were smart they would adopt a more West Ham style when playing Barcelona. I feel for any Real fan who watched that performance today, it was embarrassing, 3-0 down and then Messi comes on.
@ Bobby V
Hvala lipa.
@ Svima
Rafa Benitez pulling a Croatian Coach move with those toothless tactics.
Leaves Kovačić on the bench, for the whole match ?
Does anyone learn?
Play your talented Nogomentas !
Holy Christ, did anyone just see the lunging tackle from Modric on Rakitic. Thats all we need is both players to get hurt on the same play. Modric got up and seemed to give Rakitic an attitude right after. I wish we saw more of that fire for the repka, instead of against each other.
4 yr suspension wow!
http://www.tsn.ca/uefa-bans-dinamo-zagreb-s-ademi-four-years-1.397419
Just like I called it. Rakitic ready to play against Real Madrid after his bullshit, fake injury, which occurred after Barcelona’s president complained that he would travel to Russia and back only four days before El Classico.
I predict shit on this site like nobody else. You’re welcome.